Snakes Among Lions
by Dyani91
Summary: Salazar is reborn at a time when Harry needs a friend. Can he help shape Harry into what he needs to become, will Harry be willing to learn? What will his friends say when he starts making his own decisions? Independent Harry /Slytherin Harry just not how you think. Manip. Dumbledore Neutral Snape.


**A Rocky Start**

_§Why, Why did you die my beloved Oncsse I came back you were ssupposed to be here. Assslia.§_

Harry stopped dead in his tracks at the sibilant hissing he heard. He had been wandering the halls after hours brooding about Sirius. Why couldn't they just realize he wanted to be alone. That voice he heard full of grief just like his own. He glanced around and found himself on the second floor of the castle. Looking down the hallway he saw Myrtle's bathroom.

'Is someone in the chamber?'

Harry furrowed his brow at the thought, he knew it wasn't Voldemort.

'I would have felt him, not to mention he would come after me not go to the chamber. Ah what the hell.'

Harry hugged the invisibility cloak closer to himself and walked into Myrtles Bathroom. He walked over and hissed at the sink and watched as it slid quietly out of sight. He flicked his wand at the grime and whispered.

"Evanesco." The grime caked onto the walls disappeared. He jumped in sliding all the way down and coming out cleaner this time. Glancing back up he hissed close at the snake motif on the roof of the pipe. Funny he had never noticed it there before. Vanishing the bones of the rodents so he wouldn't give himself away to whomever was there. Whispering again he lit his wand he walked until he got to the cave in. He stood contemplating for a few seconds how he was going to get through, before he smacked himself on the head. Pointing his wand upwards at the ceiling.

"Duro" He smiled in satisfaction as he felt the re-enforcement spell take hold. He swept his wand at the pile of rubble with an over powered "REPARO" and watched as the boulders and rocks all shifted and settled back into their respective places leaving an empty tunnel. Shooting another "Duro" at the ceiling he walked through to the chamber entrance.

_§Open§ _he hissed at the door. He watched as the door split open and walked forward carefully as to not make any noise.

_§Hello? Is sssomeone in here?§ _He hissed out looking at the basilisk that had yet to decompose.

_§Whosse there! Sshow yourself coward!§ _A voice came hissing back loud and angry. Harry careful to keep his wand out reached up and pulled the cloak off his head and shoulders.

§_My name isss Harry, who am I Ssspeaking to?§_He inquired to the gloomy chamber.

§_Lightsss§_

The voice hissed out. Harry had to shield his eyes at the sudden flare up of lights as the torches lit flared up quickly. Blinking he brought the chamber back into focus. Glancing around for the person or snake he was quick to notice movement from behind the basilisk, a snout was poked itself into view and Harry was quick to shut his eyes. He tensed as he listened to the snakes body move across the floor.

§_You can open your eyesss Sspeaker, My third eyelid isss clossed I cannot harm you.§_

_§Do you Sswear?§ _Harry questioned trying to determine the truth.

_§I sswear.§ _The snake replied. Harry carefully cracked his eyes open and found himself staring at a fourteen foot serpent with eyes as green as his own. The snake was a deep black with a small red feathered crest on its head.

§_Whatss your name?§ _Harry questioned curiosity written all over his face as he took in the serpent before his.

_§Ssalazzar, Childe. Ssalazzar Sslytherin§_ The snake cocked his head as Harry took a step back at the answer.

_§What iss wrong Harry? You ssmell of fear.§_

_§Why are you named after one of the foundersss. Slytherin is evil.§_

_§How iss it evil, my housse should be proud. After all Godricsss housse iss its ally.§ _If a snake could have an emotion confusion would be written all over it's face.

_§Asss for my name It's who I am, the reincarnation of my human sself.§_

_§Gryffindor and Slytherin hate each other now, were you two allies s before?§_Harry questioned intrigued despite himself.

_§Allies you say, no we were brothersss. Jusst as Helga and Rowena were ssisters. We were all friendssss. We built thiss Sschool ssoo we could teach others like uss.§_

_§Wow Hisstory iss wrong then. I wish you were still human than I could talk to you all the time and get you up to date. A lot of things have changed.§ _Harry replied sighing.

"Tempus" his wand flashed out 3:30 am. Salazar just took it in stride.

§_I can, I remember how to access my magic technically it is a merging spell though, I would merge with those of my bloodline, I can merge with you.§_

_§But I am not your descendant Salazar, How would that work.§_ Harry queried furrowing his brow.

_§You speak don't you? Parseltounge iss a bloodline trait. If you were not descended you wouldn't be able to speak. Godric could as well, he just didn't like it as much as I did.§ _Salazar relied as if it were common knowledge. Harry's eyes opened comically.

_§Go ahead I guess maybe I will finally have someone intelligent to talk to.§_

_§Just to note my form shall adhere to you as an image so I can separate when I need too.§_

_§Kind of like a magical tattoo then ssure why not. Do what you need to do.§_ Harry shrugged. Couldn't be worse then Voldemort in his head, 'might as well throw a party.'

_§ANIMA IUNCTURA§ _Salazar hissed out. Harry watched as his form dissolved and floated over to him. An itching started on his lower back and grew upward ending at the base of his neck. A sharp pain later and then nothing.

'Salazar?'

'Yes Harry, it worked.'

'Can you read my mind if you can it's the easiest way to get information.'

'Yes I can but I will not unless you join me.'

'How?'

'The easiest way is to fall asleep. Which is what I am going to do now. I suggest you head back to sleeping quarters and do the same.'

'Shit I totally forgot how late it was.' Harry thought as he cast a quick tempus. Pulling on his cloak he fled down the tunnel to the entrance.

'_Stairs, Open' _Salazar supplied as he stood at the pipe. Harry copied that and fled upstairs stopping only to close the entrance. Making his way swiftly upstairs he gave the password and stepped through to the empty common room.

It was still before the time people would get up, so Harry shed his cloak and made his way upstairs still breathing heavy. Stripping out of his clothes he gathered new ones and made his way to the showers. He stopped in front of the only un-enchanted mirror and turned to glance at his back. There in great detail on his back was a coiled Basilisk it's head reared up Feathered crown spread wide at the base of his neck. He whistled lowly. And stepped into the showers ignoring the scarred flesh he sported glad for the image to cover the worst of the scarring. Glad it was the weekend he turned off the water and dried himself. Going to bed he closed his eyes and quickly drifted to sleep.

~Harry's mind~

Harry fell into a dully lit version of his room at the Dursley's the only difference were that there were two beds instead of one. In one of the beds was a young man he never had seen before.

'That must be Salazar' Harry looked at him, Salazar looked like he was about eighteen years old He had long unruly hair that framed his face, His hair was black as pitch which contrasted nicely with the pale bronze complexion. Looking around again he smiled to himself. 'so this is my mind huh I wonder if I can change it in here?' He glanced back at the sleeping figure and frowned for a second. 'on second thought maybe when he wakes up that way I can get his in put.' Everything started to blur suddenly.

"rry"

"ey, rry"

"Harry Hey Harry."

Harry's eyes snapped open, and found himself staring at Ron and Hermione. He scowled.

"What." He snapped at them.

"You need to wake up or you'll miss breakfast." Hermione said back.

"I'm not going." He growled out, feeling tired.

"You need to eat Harry, it does you no good to starve yourself." She started getting into lecture mode.

"I am not hungry, I am tired and want to sleep. Is it that hard to ask for a lie in." he said trying to warn her off.

'God what does she think I'm five or something?'

Ron shrugged at him and wandered off down stairs.

"Well I think you should…"

"Hermione! I want to sleep in. I am not a child and you are not my mother. Good bye." Harry snapped at her as she started to piss him off. He rolled over away from her.

"Well I never." She huffed walking out of the room. Hearing the door close he felt another approach him.

"Hey Harry, I will wake you for lunch ok." Neville said.

"Thanks Nev." Harry replied softly as the other boy walked out.

Harry settled back into his bed spelling the curtains closed around him thankful that it was a weekend. He sighed before turning over and closing his eyes again. He phased into his mindscape again sitting on his bed. Salazar was still asleep so Harry decided to tidy up a bit so to speak. Maybe this is what he needed to do for occlumency. How had he never been able to access this before? He wondered. It probably came down to lack of instruction. He started slowly touching the objects around his mindscape. Hedwig's cage held the memories of his entering the wizarding world for the first time. The rickety old desk that he had held his knowledge of studying both mundane and magical. It went on and on like this for several hours before he was jolted awake by a gentle shaking. Opening his bleary eyes, he focused on the face swimming before him.

"Hey Neville is it lunch time already?" he sat up slowly grasping for his glasses. Neville handed them over and nodded.

"Thanks mate. I owe you one."

"It's ok Harry if anyone deserves a break right now it's you.

Harry smiled at him slightly in appreciation his grief of the prior weeks nightmare still so raw. Hermione meant well but her personality didn't allow for the distance he needed to come to terms with his loss. She and Ron didn't understand the immensity of the loss he was feeling. He got up and stretched before going to the bathroom to freshen up. Walking down to the common room he ran into Ginny who smiled sweetly at him. For some reason it turned his stomach to see that, he forced a half assed smile onto his face for her benefit and turned and rushed through the portrait down to the great hall. He took one look in the Great Hall before changing his mind. He couldn't stand to see everyone happy and smiling not when he himself was so raw. On a whim he walked down to the dungeons unaware that his feet led him directly to his potions classroom. He blinked looking at the door feeling rage welling up inside.

'Damn Snape! It was his fault his Fault that Sirius died.'

§NO!§

the sudden reverberation of Salazar's voice through his head cut off that trail of thought.

§Harryyy, do not blame the man for your actionsssss, faccceee them and become ssstronger.§

Harry sighed. Salazar was right, he had been lazy and stupid and it had cost him. He turned to lean against the cold wall only to come face to face with the man he had just seemingly fought a war over. Snape's glare cut through him like a knife.

"Potter, to what do I owe this displeasure. Coming to make trouble for me? Maybe thought you could prank the classroom or steal more ingredients for elicit potions. Hmmm." He drawled.

Harry gulped and backed away finding himself against the wall trapped.

"No sir." He said suddenly, in a random bout of impulsiveness.

"Then why are you here!" Snape spoke slowly enunciating every word.

"I actually came to find you," Harry's voice continued while part of his mind wondered what the fuck he was doing.

"Why pray tell would you come to find me you hate me and the thought is reciprocated. Were you going to blame me perhaps come and yell at me." He spat.

"Actually I wasn't." Harry spoke quickly cutting off the steam that was building. "I was coming to apologize." He looked up at Snape's impassive face searching for something. His face was drawn and tight like he had sucked on something sour. If Harry weren't so surprisingly serious he would have laughed.

"Go on!"

"I wanted to apologize for invading your privacy sir." Harry looked Snape directly in his eyes an invitation for entrance which was gladly taken. "I was rude and stupid and it cost me… big time. I lost my one chance to be who I really am due to my callous disregard for what you were attempting to teach me, yes I blamed you at first but a friend set me straight and I've come to realize it's my own damned fault. So I humbly apologize and bow to your greater wisdom." He stopped short to take a breath, thoughtfully ignoring the small amount of shock that showed itself through the finely honed mask that Snape always wore. Harry didn't understand where that came out of but he couldn't ignore that he felt better for it.

"Mr. Potter!" Snape snapped suddenly. (lol Alliteration) Breaking Harry from his musings.

"Come in and sit down!" Snape strode through the door and went to stand behind his desk, while Harry sat down in front.

"I have one question for you pertaining to the event in particular, that has had me curious. I want you to answer me truthfully and I will know if you are lying. Do you understand." He looked sharply at Harry daring him to say no. Harry nodded and met his Professor's gaze evenly.

"How do you feel about what your father did?" Snape looked at him with a guarded curiousness observing his reaction.

Harry thought for a moment tilting his head slightly, gathering his thoughts.

"Honestly Sir. I hated it and not for the reason you might think."

"What do you mean?"

"How to put this? Hmm, well to put it bluntly I absolutely loathe bullies, and that's exactly what he was doing. Do you want to know my reaction when you told me to leave?"

Snape nodded out of morbid curiosity.

"I puked! I ran to the nearest bathroom and puked, that is how much disgust it evoked in me. I also yelled at Sirius his excuse that they were young and stupid didn't cut it. You didn't deserve it. I don't pity you for it either," he added hastily seeing his professor's darkening expression. "I'm sure you gave as good as you got, regardless it was wrong."

"Why did you yell at him?" Harry just looked at Snape.

"Do you really need the answer to that question, you've seen inside my head?"

"Yes I do Potter, I will only ask once Why?"

"If you want your answer take a look I do not like remembering this for long you have five minutes." Harry spoke coldly as he brought the memories of his time at the Dursley's forefront in his mind.

For five minutes they sat there while Snape relived the memories in Harry's head, while Harry wondered exactly why he was doing this. Maybe in some sort of twisted atonement? He couldn't figure it out, maybe it was because this man already knew everything else he was keeping secret and wasn't spilling it even though he could. Sure he still picked on him but now that he thought back he had never heard anything that wasn't already common knowledge, he had to give the man some credit for discretion. He felt Snape back out of his mind and stopped his musing. Snape looked at Harry and spoke one sentence.

"You think too loudly."

Harry had the decency to flush as a look of wry amusement flashed across the potion professor's face.

"Potter I…" Snape's face twisted into a look of disbelief for a moment before continuing. "I accept your apology. I believe it was sincere despite your confusion, I also want it known that you do seem to have some ability in Occlumency because I have never seen that particular set of memories before. It seems that you had partitioned them to somewhere in the back of your mind. So my initial analysis of your ability is untrue. It also seems that we understand each other a little more than we thought, though this changes nothing between us, I have a role to perform to break the current mold would invite to much danger. I will say this to you once and only once, I acknowledge that you are not your father and your mother would be proud of you. You are dismissed."

"Thank you sir." Harry felt a tiny amount of pride at Snape's acknowledgement of him as he walked to the door. "Have a decent holiday Professor." With that he walked out of the room. Snape watched him leave before spelling the door shut.

"Five points to Gryffindor." He spoke quietly magic tingling in response to his comment as he turned to the essays that needed grading.

Harry walked down the hallway making his way to the kitchens aslunch would just be ending, feeling lighter than he had been all week, he stopped as he heard Malfoy and gang making their way back. He dodged round the corner into a darkened passage sliding into the shadows while he waited for them to pass. He watched as they passed by barely breathing, he had just found a good mood he didn't want it ruined in a confrontation with Malfoy or any of the other Slytherins. When he could no longer hear footsteps he turned to continue onwards before suddenly stopping at a frantic hiss of _§WAIT!§_

'what is it Salazar?' Harry frowned his stomach wanting to rebel.

_§My private chambersss were down this hallway, my journalsss are sstill there. If you get them you can ssstudy them during break, my persssonal spellsss and potionsss are recorded there. As well as my books on parssselmagic.§_

Harry thought about it for a moment.

'Ok, then lead the way.' He followed Salazar's hissed instructions. They stopped before a painting of a woman in a pale green robe who was sleeping.

_§Harry let me take over for a moment.§_

Harry shrugged allowing Salazar to possess him.

_§Assslia wake up my sweet.§ _He hissed to the painting. The woman opened her eyes revealing poisonous yellow orbs.

_§Sssalazar, iss that you?§_

_§Yesss,Asslia it'ss me I need accessss to my chambersss.§_

_§Passsscode?§_

_§The serpent seeks the Badgers humility, the Lions bravery and the Eagles wisdom.§_

The portrait smiled showing inch long fangs in the woman's mouth before swinging open. Harry walked into the room a Salazar hissed _§Lights§_ with his mouth before receding totally.

_§Usse the trunk in the corner, Sssay pack in Parsseltongue while moving yyour wand in a wide sssweeping motion ending in a tight circle pointing at the trunk. OPEN THE TRUNK FIRSST! The closse and sshrink it. Keep it on your perssson at all timesss. Alssso pick up the wand from in the cubby in the wall his open before you go to touch it though there isss a ward in place. Put it in the trunk on top of the booksss. I want you to take one or two of the unbreakeable vials and go collect venom from Assslia'sss corpsse. You will need it.§_

Harry did as asked, putting the books away first as instructed. Dropping the ward he picked up the wand and felt as it resonated with both Salazar and himself strongly. He grabbed two vials for the nighttime trip he was now planning on making. Shrinking the trunk he stuck it in his pocket before following Salazar's hissed directions again. They followed a secret passageway that cut up two the kitchens stopping only once for Harry to update the Marauders Map with a whispered spell that Remus had taught him. he was glad he had pestered the werewolf for that. He stopped in the kitchens and left with a single person banquet and extra food under stasis and spelled to un-shrink at the tap of a wand, enough to last two people the whole summer. Why he had never thought of it before he didn't know. Shaking his head he walked back up towards the common room, to face the people who he called friends.

"Hey Harry where have you been we've been looking all over for you." Was the comment he got as soon as he walked through the portrait hole. He turned to Ron who had spoken.

"I was walking around. I wanted to be alone." He replied stiffly.

"Harry you really should talk about how your feeling. Bottling it up cannot be doing you any good." Hermione chimed in.

"I'm fine really Hermione I just need time to sort myself out." He growled sick of her badgering him about his feelings.

"But you really should talk to someone your just making yourself more depressed. Yes Sirius is gone but you need to move on…" She quieted at the fierce glare she was receiving.

"So what do you expect me to drop every feeling I have just because you say so. Someone very close to me just died and you expect to immediately move on with my life. If one of your parents were to drop dead tell me you wouldn't be in mourning for at least a month or more." He ground out. Hermione had the decency to look a little sheepish. "So please if you have anymore unwelcome advice, keep it to yourself. Cause I don't want to hear it."

"HEY! Quit talking to her like that mate! She doesn't deserve to be treated that way. Seriously, what's gotten into you lately. Your so damned crabby!" Ron spoke up hotly. Harry just rolled his eyes and stalked off to pack.

The trip home was rather uneventful, other than the customary butting of heads with Malfoy.

§ _That is what my Houssse embodiesssss anymore, disssgussting.§_

Was the only comment that Salazar gave. Ron and Hermione stayed mostly in the prefects area staying well away from their tempremental friend. About half way through Luna came in and asked if she could sit apparently the people in her compartment had gathered to many Nargles. The only thing that surprised him was when she greeted both him and Salazar, and said that Rowena would like to see him if they got the chance.

Salazar took his time going through Harry's memories trying to acclimate himself in the current century. It was going to be one hell of a long discussion when they got home.

A.N. Ok this is the full first chapter since so many people seemed to like the concept. Please R&R if you have any suggestions or ideas of how you want this story to go. It will be a HarryxLuna. Chou.


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